Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-02-26
IN A MONSTERS EMBRACE.
Sensations of Man Who Gets Into the
Clutches of q Devil Fish.

Sensations of Man Who Gets Into the
Clutches of Devil Fish.
1--WE were lying about half mile off
the beach at the Barbados, overhauling
the standing rigging" said James ellis,
able seaman, when the mate ordered
John Webb, an apprentice boy, and my
self into the yawl, which had been COW
cred and brought around to the port side,
that some painting might DO done Just
abaft the mainmast. It was q terribly hot
day, with the water very warm and the
men having little energy. The paint was
lowered down TO us, and while used tho
brush the boy held the yawl in position.
We had been at work for about quarter
of an hour when the boy suddenly yelled
out in alright, and as turned to him he
declared that he had seen horrible look
ing object pass under the boat, and so ON
under the ship.
There are plenty Of strange creatures
floating about in those waters, and patch
of seaweed will sometimes assume queer
shape. laughed at the boys fears, but
at the same time saw how pale and fright
ened he looked
"'What's wanted below thereS' called
the mate as he leaned over the rail, having
heard Webb's cry Of alarm.
"T-I saw something go under the boat,
sir
"'Oh, you did Well, If you bawl out
again you'll feel something go under your
jacket
81 began work again, and had been at it
| only three or four minutes when the yawl
heaved away from the ship two or three
feet, and at the same instant the boy
screamed out again. His voice had scarcely
reached my ears when something flashed
before my eyes, something caught my arm
and pulled it down and pinned it fast to
my body, and in five seconds more knew
what had happened. A devil fish had
flung one of his arms about me. Webb
was screaming at the top of his voice, and
] as | got look at him l saw that two of
the beasts feelers were clutching him.
The arm or feeler which had reached me
| pinned my arm to my side as if in wise,
making clean wrap around my body, and
| the extreme end of the feeler crept up
| along my neck and face. Talk Of pain;
never felt anything like it, The teeth of q
bulldog couldn't have hurt worse. 1t was
burning biting, blistering sensation, as
if live coal had been laid on the flesh.
added my yells to thosecof Webb, but be-
fore any one came to the rail l was jerked
to my knees in the boat. and saw that the
creatures object was TO pull me over
board. / heard the boy go down and
thrash about, and Them three of the men
came to our assistance.
''The devil fish had outwitted himself
He had gone under the ship and fastened
to her bottom or keel and as soon as he
began pulling on us he of course pulled
the yawl close against the ships side
That closed the gap, and he could not pull
us overheard, although / think he wolld
have upset the yawl, for we were 10th
down on her starboard side and she was
almost on her beam ends when the meI
jumped down. They began to cut and
Slash and hack with their knives, and after
two or three minutes they had us free
not of the arms, but of the creature We
were hoisted on board bowling and groan
ing, with the feelers still biting, and they
had to be cut from us almost by inches
Web got it far worse than / did, as h,
wore thin cotton shirt and was bare
footed. He was bitten on one foot, boil
hands and across the breast, and it was
long two weeks before he was ON decl
again, his face swelled up until one ey,
was closed, and the poison made me ill fo
many days. Wherevex one of the cups o
suckers took hold the skin was entirel,
taken off, and it seemed as if pins hat
been stuck in the raw flesh. A nativ
doctor brought me some herbs of which t,
make poultice; and, though that relieved
the pain and helped me to get aroun,
again. it was months before. my face wa
entirely we'll New York Sun.